CR 98-54 SW LRT Trail ExtensionPrimary Issues to Consider
• Major road crossings
• The "Depot" developments
• Maintenance Issues
Supporting Information
O
V
H 5
0 P K
April 1, 1998 Council Report: 98 -054
SOUTH WEST LRT TRAIL EXTENSION
Proposed Action
None. This is an informational/discussion item.
Overview
Two southwest regional LRT bike/hike trails currently exist in Hopkins. Both trails
begin at about 8 Avenue and extend westward. The north corridor ends 15 miles west in
the town of Victoria, the south corridor ends 11 miles west near the town of Chaska. For
several years work has been ongoing to extend these trails east, into St. Louis Park and
Minneapolis. At the March 16m Park Board meeting representatives of Hennepin Parks
and SRF Consulting Group, Inc. were present to give an overview of the southwest LRT
extension trail scheduled for construction in 1998. Scheduled 1998 trail improvements
include: a bituninous 12' wide trail surface from 11'' Ave S near Wendy's extending
eastward into St. Louis Park. The Park board endorsed the trail extension as presented,
with emphasis on utilizing all means available for the safe crossing of Excelsior
Boulevard.
• SRF Consulting Trail Plans
• )ou hwest Regional LRT Trails Maps
Parks/Forestry Superintendent
Analysis of Issues
• Major road crossings
Major road crossings anticipated for this trail extension include 11 Ave S near
Wendy's, 5 Ave S near Knox Lumber, Excelsior Blvd at St. Louis St and Blake
Rd near Bakers Square. Type I crossings of these streets are proposed for all but
Excelsior Blvd. The crossing of Excelsior Blvd is scheduled to be a type II
crossing. The Type I crossings are those you are already familiar with at 17 Ave
N near 3" St N and 11 Ave S by Wendy's. Type II crossings are used for
heavier traffic patterns and speeds than that which we currently see on 11 Ave S
or 17 Ave N. The principal for SRF, Barry Wamer indicated that traffic counts
and flow patterns were studied before Hennepin County issued a permit for a
pedestrian crossing at St. Louis St. for this trail extension. In the event that a
signal is installed at Jackson Ave at some point in the future, Hennepin Parks
representative Del Miller indicated that the trail crossing would be moved
eastward to any new signalized crossing.
• The "Depot" developments
The Depot Coffeehouse developments are ongoing and have some impact on the
exact location of the regional trail in this vicinity. There are discussions with the
transit authority on placement of a park and ride facility to be operated next to the
Depot. Hennepin Parks would like to operate a trail head facility somewhere west
of Hwy 169 but not in the immediate vicinity of a congested park and ride facility.
There may be some Hennepin Parks money for development of a trail head
facility once the Depot questions are resolved. Discussions with the Depot are
ongoing so that the trail is placed where it will not be in the way of these
operations or a park and ride facility if one is constructed.
• Maintenance Issues
Maintenance issues to consider are typical of those presently encountered with the
existing regional LRT trails in Hopkins. The new trail will be wider, at 12' versus
the existing 10' trails and black topped versus the existing crushed aglime
surfaces. Winter snow and ice control will still be the responsibility of Hopkins,
using the established permit system. The other maintenance issue would be litter
control. The responsibility for sign maintenance, blacktop repair, street crossing
advance warning, etc. would be that of both Hennepin Parks and Hennepin
County.
Supporting Information
Copies of the southwest regional LRT trail maps have been attached for your reference. I
have also included a detail of the proposed "type II" crossing of Excelsior Blvd — which
shows in better detail the various components of this crossing.
MrtC - uc - m IIU um.U1 MN a rtr UUIYAULI1NU umuur !NU
CONSULTING GROUP, INC.
Tran >p Mtahun • Call • Structural • F nvirvntar_ntal • Planning • 1 r,U r • Land.scapc AM_chrtcaure • Parking
Suite 150
One Carlson Parkway North
Minneapolis, MN 55447 -4443
Telephone Number (612) 475 -0010
FAX Number (612) 475 -2429
rnn NV, 01CT410TC4CU
SRF Number: GYM
Return to sender__
File after faxing_
Make copy and
mail original
Discard
U1
TO: Name: _
Organization:
FAX Number:
FROM: Name U O L E.,.
Date:
Pages to Follow:__
t - -.� —
Subject: J h oc„
Comments:
FAXMITTAL
�� ✓(i 074-6,,,t, 0(
6%/6v* dEeviittinlit
Ovvi ack :66
�.
ype
cittoh
CMG( a
J
I1rR - U1 - 0o WCU Uc•UD nII J UUNJULIINV VRVUr NA/
ROAD
WIDTH
VARIES
SHOULDER
1
h
9WVN °d021
SEE TABLE 1 ,_,_,
FOR SPACING
0
0
V
IZ / LLwwLLJJ
/1 1—
xo
MOTOR
rrA Nu, 0I0
HIGH VOLUME LOCAL ROAD OR STREET
(2 -LANE OR 4 -LANE)
(TYPE r caossl4(;)
SEE TABLE 1
OR SPACING
30" X 10' D" WHITE STRIPE
ROAD NAME
S HO U LD E R
I
r
Q °C- - YIi1
uc
HENNEPIN PARKS
REGIONAL. TRAIL
MASTER PLAN
TYPICAL ROADWAY
CROSSINGS
FIGURE 20
nln - uc -o Inu LW•ul nu am uunauLt lnu uiwur IIML rtln IYV. O1GT4IDTG4GO f. UG
ROAD
WIDTH
VARIE
VANN aVOa
SHOULDER
1
ov
I TratI Crosmnp Sign
with Actuated Signal
1
� g C x
0
0
CD
ROAD NAME
STATE ROADS / HIGH VOLUME HIGHWAY
(2 -LANE OR 4 -LANE)
(t'?Pn7L caossciJ6
Trail Crossing Sign
/with Actuated Signal
SFE TABLE 1
FOR SPACING
- 36" x 10' -0" WHITE STRIPE
SHOULDER
FIGURE 19
z
0
U
4
F-
z
11LNNF.PIN PARKS
R1CG1ONAL TRAI1.
MASTER PLAN
TYPICAL ROADWAY
CROSSINGS
z z
z z
Z o
o a
V 0
0 VIS 3NlO1YW
W XLLX
N 31O �
V
Z z
Ck
J .
N
Z 0
0 a
U (7
6
00.000 V15 3M1HJIVW
x
N X U X
U U
z z
N rk
ti
Z o
O a
0
Z z
H
N o
Z 0
0 a
U 0
MATCXLME ST& 000.00
0
MACK
0
0 ,}
GO *
1H31VM
z
z a
Z o
o x
0 0
J
0
0 o
1
afro(/ ^
1/41 bb
,
$ 4 � jll- 1$
a $
o
z z
z z
z o
0 C4
1
MATCHIHE STA 000.00
W X 0 X
N x O K
SSO"n 1 y
(woo 01 oa S=SeeMSOZMI :311 a15A